Pall bearers from the army carry Benjamin Adekunle’s casket.Now his colleague wants full heroic burial in Ogbomoso

Civil War Veteran, Brig-Gen. Godwin Alabi-Isama, has called for the exhumation of Brig.-Gen. Benjamin Adekunle’s corpse from Ikoyi cemetery, in Lagos, for a befitting hero’s burial in Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

He made the call at a public lecture in honour of the late Adekunle by Ogbomoso Community Foundation held at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomoso.

The civil war hero, Adekunle, popularly known as `Black Scorpion’ died on 13 September in Lagos at the age of 77.

He was buried at Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos on 3 October.

Adekunle: 1936-2014

Alabi-Isama said that heroes like Adekunle deserved to be given a heroic burial at a newly created hero’s park.

“I am asking for immediate exhumation of Adekunle’s corpse from the Ikoyi cemetery back to Ogbomoso, his hometown, for a befitting burial’’, he said.

He implored the Yoruba to always endeavour to recognise and honour their own heroes and not wait until others do such for them.

The civil war veteran described the late Adekunle as a renowned patriot who did all within his power to ensure one Nigeria during his military career.

Brig. General Godwin Alabi-Isama

“General Benjamin Adekunle was a nation builder who deserved to be immortalised and awarded a post-humous national honour, on account of his civil war exploits.

“Adekunle personified honour, integrity, courage, and loyalty. The greatness of Adekunle is inseparable from the 3rd Marine Commando (3MCDO) that he formed, built, trained, and led in battle to defeat Biafra in order to keep Nigeria one’’, he said.

Alabi-Isama urged the Yoruba to recognise their heroes.

“Go and get your son, the hero of our time, Adekunle out of Ikoyi cemetery back to Ogbomoso for a befitting hero’s burial in a newly created Hero’s Park’’, he stressed